Patent Application
20180282962
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The disclosure and prior art relates to melting devices and more particularly pertains to a new melting device for inhibiting snow from collecting on a traffic area.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a heating unit that may be fluidly coupled to a fluid source thereby facilitating a fluid to be delivered to the heating unit. The heating unit is in thermal communication with the fluid when the fluid is delivered to the heating unit. In this way the heating unit heats the fluid above a pre-determined temperature. A spray unit is provided and the spray unit is beneath ground. The spray unit is fluidly coupled to the heating unit to receive the heated fluid from the heating unit. The spray unit includes a plurality of outlets and each of the outlets extends outwardly from the ground and is positioned adjacent to a traffic area. The spray unit sprays the heated fluid outwardly above the traffic area thereby facilitating the heated fluid to melt falling snow before the falling snow collects on the traffic area.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The heating unit 12 comprises a housing 18 that is positioned on a support surface 20 and a processor 22 that is positioned within the housing 18. The processor 22 selectively generates a heat sequence and an off sequence. The support surface 20 may be ground or a floor in a building and the processor 22 may be an electronic processor 22 or the like. A snow sensor 24 is coupled to the housing 18 to detect snow. The snow sensor 24 is electrically coupled to the processor 22 and the processor 22 generates the heat sequence when the snow sensor 24 detects snow. The snow sensor 24 may be an electronic snow sensor 24 or the like. The housing 18 has a top wall and the snow sensor 24 may be positioned on the top wall.
A heat exchanger 26 is provided and the heat exchanger 26 is positioned within the housing 18. The heat exchanger 26 has an input 28 and an output 30; the input 28 is fluidly coupled to the fluid source 14. Thus, the fluid 16 is selectively urged through the heat exchanger 26 and outwardly through the output 30. The heat exchanger 26 may be a fluid heat exchanger 26 of any conventional design.
A temperature sensor 32 is positioned within the housing 18 and the temperature sensor 32 is electrically coupled to the processor 22. The temperature sensor 32 is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger 26 to detect a temperature of the heat exchanger 26. Moreover, the processor 22 selectively generates the off sequence when the temperature sensor 32 detects a temperature of the heat exchanger 26 has exceeded a trigger temperature. The temperature sensor 32 may be an electronic temperature sensor 32 or the like and the trigger temperature may be a temperature ranging between approximately 212.0° Fahrenheit and 230.0° Fahrenheit. Additionally, the processor 22 generates the heat sequence when the temperature sensor 32 senses that the temperature of the fluid 16 has fallen below the trigger temperature.
A shut off valve 34 is provided and the shut off valve 34 is positioned within the housing 18. The shut off valve 34 is electrically coupled to the processor 22 and the shut off valve 34 is fluidly coupled to the output 30 of the heating exchanger. In this way the shut off valve 34 inhibits the fluid 16 from flowing outwardly from the output 30 when the processor 22 generates the off sequence. The shut off valve 34 may be an electrically actuated fluid valve or the like.
A heater 36 is provided and the heater 36 is positioned within the housing 18. The heater 36 is electrically coupled to the processor 22 and the processor 22 turns the heater 36 on when the processor 22 generates the heat sequence. The heater 36 is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger 26 to heat the fluid 16 in the heat exchanger 26. Moreover, the processor 22 turns the heater 36 off when the processor 22 generates the off sequence. The heater 36 may comprise a gas fired furnace, and electrical furnace or any other type of heater 36. Additionally, the heater 36 may include a fan to blow heated air across the heat exchanger 26.
A control 38 is provided and the control 38 coupled to the housing 18 thereby facilitating the control 38 to be manipulated. The control 38 is electrically coupled to the processor 22 such that the control 38 controls operational parameters of the processor 22. The control 38 may include a touch screen, a plurality of buttons or any other control commonly associated with electronic temperature control circuitry. Additionally, the operational parameters may include, but not be limited to, selecting the trigger temperature, a timer and a sensitivity level of the snow sensor 24.
A power supply 40 is provided and the power supply 40 is positioned within the housing 18. The power supply 40 is electrically coupled to the processor 22 and the power supply 40 is electrically coupled to a power source 42. The power source 42 may be an electrical power line, an electrical outlet or any other source of electrical power.
A spray unit 44 is provided and the spray unit 44 is buried beneath ground. The spray unit 44 is fluidly coupled to the heating unit 12. In this way the spray unit 44 receives the heated fluid 16 from the heating unit 12. The spray unit 44 includes a plurality of outlets 46 and each of the outlets 46 extends outwardly from the ground. Additionally, each of the outlets 46 is positioned adjacent to a traffic area 48. The traffic area 48 may be a sidewalk, a driveway or other traffic area 48. The spray unit 44 sprays the heated fluid 16 outwardly above the traffic area 48 thereby facilitating the heated fluid 16 to melt falling snow before the falling snow collects on the traffic area 48. In this way the spray unit 44 reduces a need to shovel or otherwise remove the snow from the traffic area 48.
The spray unit 44 includes a supply tube 50 that is buried beneath the ground. The supply tube 50 is fluidly coupled to the output 30 on the heat exchanger 26. In this way the supply tube 50 receives the heated fluid 16. A plurality of distribution tubes 52 is provided and each of the distribution tubes 52 is buried beneath the ground. Each of the distribution tubes 52 is fluidly coupled to the supply tube 50 to receive the heated fluid 16.
Each of the distribution tubes 52 has a distal end 54 with respect to the supply tube 50. The distal end 54 corresponding to each of the supply tubes 50 is directed upwardly from the ground. The supply tube 50 and each of the distribution tubes 52 may comprise a pre-existing sprinkler system or the like. Additionally, the supply tube 50 and each of the distribution tubes 52 may be installed in the ground when the heating unit 12 is installed.
A plurality of spray heads 56 is provided and each of the spray heads 56 is fluidly coupled to the distal end 54 corresponding to an associated one of the distribution tubes 52. In this way each of the spray heads 56 receives the heated fluid 16. Each of the spray heads 56 has a distal end 58 with respect to the associated distribution tube 52. The distal end 58 corresponding to each of the spray heads 56 is open to spray the heated fluid 16 into the air. Moreover, each of the spray heads 56 is aligned with the traffic area 48 to spray the heated fluid 16 over the traffic area 48. In this way the heated fluid 16 melts the snow falling over the traffic area 48 when the spray heads 56 sprays the heated fluid 16. Thus, the snow is inhibited from collecting on the traffic area 48. Each of the spray heads 56 may comprise a sprinkler head of any conventional design.
In use, the inlet on the heat exchanger 26 is fluidly coupled to the fluid source 14 and the power supply 40 is electrically coupled to the power source 42. Additionally, the output 30 on the heat exchanger 26 is fluidly coupled to the supply tube 50. The control 38 is manipulated to select the operational parameters of the processor 22. The processor 22 generates the heat sequence when the snow sensor 24 detects the snow. The processor 22 turns the heater 36 on to heat the fluid 16 in the heat exchanger 26 to the trigger temperature. The processor 22 opens the shut off valve 34 when the fluid 16 in the heat exchanger 26s reaches the trigger temperature and the heated fluid 16 is sprayed outwardly from each of the spray heads 56.
The heated fluid 16 may be converted to steam when the ambient temperature surrounding the traffic area 48 is sufficiently cold enough to produce snow. The heat from the heated fluid 16 and steam is transferred to the falling snow. In this way the falling snow is melted before the falling snow lands on the traffic area 48. The shut off valve 34 remains open until the snow sensor 24 no longer detects that snow is falling.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
